telecommunications policy

Washington is known for encouraging and celebrating innovation. From the music scene that’s become a beacon to America and the world, to the state’s thriving technology sector, innovation is the driving force behind Washington’s economy and its music culture.

In case you hadn’t noticed, there was a big ol’ election last Tuesday, the results of which have Washington, D.C.(and the rest of the country, not to mention the world) buzzing. But what will a Barack Obama Administration and a new Democratic Congress mean for the music community?

There’s been a lot of talk lately about “white spaces” — unoccupied TV frequencies that can be used by new, “smart” technologies for a slew of purposes, including getting broadband to hard-to-service areas. The way we see it, this would ultimately help artists connect with more people, and build digital bridges to more communities. As with any new technology, however, there are concerns about implementation. Some performing arts groups are worried that unlicensed white space devices (WSDs) would cause interference with their own wireless microphones. We believe that these concerns can be resolved, provided there’s constructive dialog between the white space advocates and the performing arts community. Over the last year, FMC has been working hard to foster such discussions. read more

An opinion piece posted on ABC News on the importance of Net Neutrality

Jenny Toomey and Michael Bracy

Thursday, June 29, 2006

On June 28, 2006, by an 11-11 vote, the Senate Commerce Committee failed to approve an amendment that would have ensured that strong network neutrality provisions were part of the Telecommunications Reform Act that may now go to the Senate floor. This is a stinging defeat for media and technology policy activists who understand what is at stake: telephone and cable industries want to change the fundamental organizing principles of the Internet. In this opinion piece published on ABC’s website, FMC’s Jenny Toomey and Michael Bracy explain what’s at stake, both for musicians and for the public. read more